Recoil charts for popular hunting rounds

[Buzz]

Here is a new chart that shows the recoil ratings of various popular big game hunting rounds. I only put one .22 centerfire in there for comparison because I am not a big fan of them for hunting purposes - but that is another thread.

One thing to note, these are the approx FACTORY ballistics and the powder charge is approximate based off an average of the powder charges listed in the books for the approx velocity level. Some of you may say, "Well I get 3400 fps out of that load and you are showing 3200." That's fine but I have to have a standard to start with and I picked approx factory ballistics.

This is in no way a "loading guideline" for anyone. Unlike some charts (Chuck Hawks is a good example); I have assumed an 8# weight for each rifle. Some rifles may weigh more, some may weigh less - but we are comparing apples and apples here instead of a lightweight carbine against a 12# dangerous game rifle. Some might notice a heavy bullet has MORE powder than a lighter one. This is because there has never been an effort to capture the gas constant of each powder and some bullets take a SLOWER powder with a heavier bullet, thus possibly taking more powder than the lighter bullet. The .44 Magnum rifle and the shotgun load use pistol powders which have a faster gas constant speed than the rifle powders. This will make them "kick" slightly more than the same quantity of rifle speed smokeless powder.

Here they are sorted by name:



Here they are sorted by recoil:


You'll notice there is a good reason the 12g 3.5" turkey loads feel brutal... They are...

[GeauxLSU]

Good chart thanks. Less than 20# recoil for me please.
I'm a very sensitve person.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by GeauxLSU

Good chart thanks. Less than 20# recoil for me please.
I'm a very sensitve person.

I read about a study the US Army did a study years ago regarding the "average" amount of recoil a recruit could handle before his shooting declined. They determined that the average shooter could handle about 20# of recoil before their shooting degraded significantly. Unfortunately, I do not have the specifics on how tests were conducted because what I read was simply a summary printed in a rifle magazine.

[Hooty Hoot]

Good info 7x57. Do you have info on 12 ga. 3" mag. and also 10 ga. 3.5".

[Buzz]

I added the 140g 7mm WSM for Jim. I'll come up with some other shotgun calcs tonight.

If anybody is interested in any more rounds I can add them too.

[BIGGUS]

7X57, Thanks for the post, that's some really good info.!!!

[Dutch]

Where's the .280?

[gordylew]

I have 2 ruger lt wt carbines one in .260 and the other in 7mm-o8.both shooting 140 gr Hornady ammo The 7mm-08 seems to have alot more then a 1/4 lb of recoil difference then the 260. The chart shows it having less recoil then a .260. same rifle; same weight

[huntfish]

Thanks 7X57. I thougth my memory was correct and folks were beating me on the head about my little ole 338 while they were shooting 3.5 inch 12 ga shells.

[Hawken2222]

Thanks 7x57,
I have been telling people that don't hunt Turkeys, for years how brutal the recoil was. Now I can show them this.

[Trizey]

Originally Posted by Hawken2222

Thanks 7x57,
I have been telling people that don't hunt Turkeys, for years how brutal the recoil was. Now I can show them this.

Those people will have no idea until they shoot one

Good work 7x57!

[GeauxLSU]

Originally Posted by huntfish

Thanks 7X57. I thougth my memory was correct and folks were beating me on the head about my little ole 338 while they were shooting 3.5 inch 12 ga shells.

That's why I only shoot automatics. :o

[mikey]

Folks I am 6’4” 355 pounds. I shoot a 300 whby mag in a synthetic stock, no muzzle brake, only change I made was add a slip on recoil pad to make it longer to fit me.. Now a friend of mine Notavegetarian shoots the same rifle, his has been modified, muzzle brake, weighted stock, recoil reducer, nice recoil pad it shoots like my wife’s 243, it is loud as all get out, but it don’t kick like mine, not even any muzzle rise. I will say he has tamed the recoil of that gun.

[GeauxLSU]

Got it for MLs? I swear my black powder with a 150gr charge kicks harder than anything else. It sure kicks 'longer'.

[chambers270]

Originally Posted by GeauxLSU

Got it for MLs? I swear my black powder with a 150gr charge kicks harder than anything else. It sure kicks 'longer'.

You got that right, my TC Omega with 150gr kicks like a mule. The only thing I have shot that kicks harder is my Stoger 2000 with 3in #6 that had Max Drams of Powder. Now that bad boy will kick!!

Chris

[pepper54]

Try the web site www.accuratereloading.com they are out of Africa but they cover ALL calibers and it is a huge site., took me a month to cover the whole thing very very interisting esp. the videos

[leoparddog]

Seems like Carl's chart is missing. Here's one..http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

And if you know all your numbers, here is a calculator...http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

[Rich Kaminski]

I am 5'8 and a little over 200 pounds and I have been shooting a 300 Weatherby Win Mag for years, without a muzzle brake and the recoil has never bothered me. I have used it on everything from yotes to black bear.

I used a 375 Mag to hunt brown bear and I did notice some recoil from this gun, but heck we are hunting and should expect a little excitement right.

[whitmo]

What would the recoil be for the Remington 30-30 Managed Recoil rounds? I think they are 125 gr.
They advertise that they have half the recoil of normal rounds. Just curious if your calculations turn out the same.

My 8 yr old son will be using them this fall.

Thanks.

[whitworth]

I used an Ithaca 37, a light handling shotgun, with slugs for deer. I wasn't aware of recoil charts.

One time I was at the rifle range and the shooter at the next bench was an older fella who had a sand filled shotgun pellet bag against his shoulder, to reduce recoil. He was shooting a .222 varmint round.

He looked at me like I came from Mars. Fella must have had a bad shoulder.

[biggabuck]

Yall need to shoot my slug gun with 3 in slugs. Talk about recoil.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by whitmo

What would the recoil be for the Remington 30-30 Managed Recoil rounds? I think they are 125 gr.
They advertise that they have half the recoil of normal rounds. Just curious if your calculations turn out the same.

My 8 yr old son will be using them this fall.

Thanks.

I am doing some guessing on the powder charge here based on the youth loading data provided by Hodgdon.

It would appear that you will have about 5.84 ft \lbs of recoil at 6.85 fps. That would put it 2nd from lightest on the recoil chart I made.

[CAL]

I'm with you Phil on the recoil.To me heavy recoil takes the fun out of having fun!!!!Interesting chart 7x57.

[BuckyD]

Take a British Enfield.. Remove the lovely "entire length of the rifle" stock...Change it to a synthetic stock and I PROMISE you that you will not feel 14 lbs of recoil, More like 30. The 303 is actually a British equivalent of our 30-06 only the bullet is a little bigger .311 cal. When I did this and took the Gun from 11 lbs to about 7.5 it kicked the beee- jebers outta me. I had a slip-on Stock pad AND a dish towel folded up for my protection. The key is that a well made (dense) wood stock or very high quality Symthetic stock absorbs recoil better. I have a BLR in 300 WM and it just doesn't kick bad at all. My buddy has the Ruger 77 All weather in 7mm and he cannot shoot it more than 4-5 times The recoil is so brutal. In either mine or his the round being shot just doesn't seem to make a whole lot of difference.. My.02

[GT-40 GUY]

What is the recoil of the common .577 T-Rex? How about the .220 Swift and all of the WSSM calibers?

http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/p...572930,00.html

[Curtis-UGA]

I patterened my 835 Mossberg shooting 3.5" no 5s and my Stoeger 2000 shooting 3" no 5s. That Stoeger liked to have jumped out of my hands, it made my Mossberg fill mild! I guess it has to do with the ported barrell. Like I always say "that gun kills on both ends!"

[Doc_Holliday23]

I shoot a .270 with 130 gr. but I just bought a .300 Win. Mag. and I plan to shoot 150 gr. Nice to know what I'm in for...

[lukejlabrecque]

i shoot a 7mm mag for deer season, threw a limbsaver recoil pad and a 1lb trigger. shoots like a dream now. however, my other gun... mossberg 935 3 1/2 mags..... woo boy, that one will take your shoulder off and i'm not small boy. 6' 1'' 240 lbs.

[11P&YBOWHUNTER]

I wonder where the 300 RUM with a 180 grain bullet fits into that chart??

[fountain]

how can i tame the 300 win mag encore? i guess i can swap the barell and get a 308. i have a 270 rem 700 and i love it to death. i have had it for a good while now. i love the encore too but i think i overdid it with the 300.

[holton27596]

I have a savage weather warrior in 338 mag. completely stock and I have never noticed the recoil. I also shoot garrett loads in my 45-70 and my 444, no problems with them either.

[RoosterTodd]

I shot a 3.5 inch 12 gauge NEF single shot shotgun one time and I will NEVER make that mistake again.

[Nicodemus]

Hey Rooster, I want you to shoot that little shotgun I keep for varmints one time. With 3 inch buckshot!

[RoosterTodd]

I've got one just like it. That's what I shot that 3.5 inch magnum in. Big Mistake!

[SHMELTON]

I have a NEF 10ga that I had to sight in a reddot on, I think I cracked my collar bone!

[Andrew256]

I just bought a .300WSM.

[RATTLER]

a great gun i like mine

[KILLDUX]

what are th units of measure

[DBM78]

Yeah I got a Remington super mag 12 gauge. And shot 3.50 Winchester Xpert 1550fps rounds duck hunting last year. Kicks not the word its more like drop kick.

[hubel458]

I'm new visitor here. Nice site.
The one on right in my Savage 210 bolt
action at 25 lbs has 130 ft lbs recoil,
with 600gr slug at 3000 fps. Ed

[HorseCreekHunter]

Anyone know where the .257 WM comes in?

[Ctrimble87]

7x57... where does the .375 winchester come in. I noticed the .375 H&H magnum is 3 from the bottom but my dad just gave me his old .375 win. its not a magnum is it? it doesnt say it on the barrel.

Thanks in advance!

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by Ctrimble87

7x57... where does the .375 winchester come in. I noticed the .375 H&H magnum is 3 from the bottom but my dad just gave me his old .375 win. its not a magnum is it? it doesnt say it on the barrel.

Thanks in advance!

Sorry - I didn't see this earlier.

Using the factory ballistics for your rifle, it will shoot a 200g bullet approx 2200 fps. Judging from the reloading data it would take about 38g of a certain powder to get this velocity.

This will give you approx 13.9 ft/lbs of recoil @ 10.57 ft/lbs. There have been some additional requests for recoil ratings. I will make an updated chart to fill in some blanks soon.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by HorseCreekHunter

Anyone know where the .257 WM comes in?

Using factory data:

.257 Weatherby - 100g Hornady Spire Point @ 3602 fps. My guess is about 72g of powder (from the books). This will give you 16.65 ft/lbs of recoil @ 11.57 fps.

For the 120g loadings - 120g Nosler Partition at 3305 fps with 70g of powder. This translates into 18.12 ft/lbs of recoil @ 12.07 fps.

[zbych1]

358 Winchester?
Thanks
Zbych

[HUNTIN4LIFE]

7X57, when you get the chance could you throw in the 300WBY? Thanks

[chuckscap]

And the 500 Jeffery, that's what I'm talking about!



Chuck

[nhancedsvt]

When someone gets a chance could you add in what a 30-06 with managed recoil load would be? I believe it is a 125g cartridge.

[AnesMerc]

Anybody got a better link. The pics up on the first post are nothing more than a red x on our filters.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by AnesMerc

Anybody got a better link. The pics up on the first post are nothing more than a red x on our filters.

Send me your email and I will send the images to you. I just checked and the links seem to still be valid. I haven't deleted them from my photobucket.

I'll go back and update the requests people have asked for and add some new ones to the list as well.